Effects of soft-drinks and remineralising treatment on teeth assessed by morphological and quantitative X-ray investigations

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ABSTRACT

Aim

To morphologically and chemical-physically analyse both the surface and the subsurface of enamel undergoing soft-
drink demineralisation and remineralisation treatment.

Methods

Fifteen human premolars were split and
immersed in saline or three popular soft drinks, as demineralising agent, 15 minutes per day, for seven days at room temperature. Half
of drink-processed teeth was then treated with casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate, as remineralising agent, for an
additional seven days. The surface morphology was evaluated by stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Teeth
were then re-embedded and sectioned, and analysed under SEM and X-ray microprobe.

Results

Drink-processed teeth showed
root pigmentation, opacification and deterioration of the superficial enamel. The enamel surface resulted greatly furrowed after drink
processing, and apparently restored after remineralising treatment. However, in tooth sections, SEM showed always a subsurface
demineralisation of dentine and enamel, in particular at the cementoenamel junction, also after reminalising treatment. The
remineralising agent produced a partial remineralisation of the subsurface enamel, sometimes statistically significant, but not in
hydroxyapatite stoichiometry.

Conclusion

Soft-drink erosion impaired not only the surface but also the subsurface enamel. The
applied remineralising treatment, yielding some effects on surface and subsurface enamel reversing basically the decalcification
process.

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